Dry eye is one of the most common ophthalmologic problems experienced by individuals. Dry eye occurs when an individual fails to produce a sufficient quantity or quality of tears to lubricate and nourish the eye, such as due to aging, long-term contact lens wear, environmental effects, or as a side effect of certain medications, including antihistamines and antidepressants. Further, a failure to produce tears or to produce an adequate quantity or quality of tears can occur based on an inability of the eyelids to close completely over the eye, eyelid disease, and a deficiency of tear-producing glands. Individuals with dry eye often experience symptoms of dryness, scratchiness, red eyes, and a burning sensation that is irritating and uncomfortable.
Depending on the cause, dry eye can be considered a chronic and often progressive condition that can be managed via eye drops, topical preparations, change in environment, change in nutrition, or medication, as well as other means. In mild cases, dry eye is generally managed using eye drops that can be obtained over the counter or via a prescription from a doctor to supplement tear production. However, some eye drops are more effective than others for treating dry eye and most provide only a short period of relief, thus, requiring many applications throughout the day. Topical preparations are also commonly used to provide dry eye relief. However, conventional topical preparations generally only include small amounts of moisturizers, and thus, only provide short periods of relief. Like eye drops, gels also only provide a short period of relief, while ointments, which are applied to the eye, provide a longer relief period. Yet, ointments can cause blurred vision and can be difficult to apply.
Accordingly, there remains a need for a dry eye composition that provides long lasting ocular comfort that is easy to apply and provides alleviations of dry eye symptoms. Preferably, the composition does not blur vision.